Pipe beading tool



June 29, 1937. N. A. TORNBLOM ET AL 2,035,710

PIPE BEADING TOOL Filed Aug. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l N. A. TORNBLOM ETAL 2,085,710

June 29, 1937.

' PIPE BEADING TOOL Filed Aug. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Z? 2 60/01" maiw a 5 Patented June 29, 1937 PATENT OFFIQE PIPE READING TOOL Nils A.Tornblom and Eric Bylund. Chicago, 11.,

assignors to Appleton Electric Company, a corporation of KllinoisApplication August 26, 1935, Serial No. 37,883

11 Glaims.

The'obje ct of the present invention is to produce a simple and noveltool for pressing an annular bead in the wall of a tube of ductilematerial, usually metal,

The various features of novelty whereby our invention is characterizedwill hereinafter be pointed out with particularly in the claims; but,for a full understanding of our invention and of its objects andadvantages, reference may be had 1 to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a tool embodying the present invention,a tube being shown in position in the same; Fig. 2 is a side view of thelower end of the tool, with the pipe shown in end elevation; Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2 showing the opposite side from that appearing inFig. 2, the upper or handle part of the tool being shown in section;Fig. 4 is an end or bottom View of the tool; and Fig. 5 is a section online 55 of Fig. 3, showing only the parts that appear in the plane ofthe section. 7

Referring to the drawings, I represents a C- shaped headwhose two arms 2and 3 are straight and parallel. .On the upper side of the lower arm 2is mounted a short roller 4 which projects upwardly beyond the bearingears .5 and 6. Extending through the arm 3, and at right angles thereto,is a sturdy bar or slide 1 on the lower end of which is a jaw or fork 8.Mounted between the arms, 9 and ill, of this jaw or fork is a longroller H having an annular peripheral groove 12 which registers with theroller 4. In other words, when the bar or slide 1 is dropped ,down untilthe rollers engage with each other, thelower roller is engaged in thegroove in the upper roller. In using the device the roller II is firstretracted sufiiciently to permit the tube that is to be beaded to beslipped over the arm 2 of the head. Then, when the roller ii and itscarrier are moved down, the end sections of the roller ll come incontact with the outer surface of 45.the tube on opposite sides. of ashort stretch "which is restingon the roller 4 and which spans thegroove l2: Further downward pressure on the roller H will cause themetal of the tube to yield and bend, At first there will be produced aslight dent. Thereupon, if the tube be held stationary and the tool beswung around the same, this indention will be progressively carriedaround the entire circumference to the starting point. Therefore, whatwas originally a slight indent, viewed from the inside of the tube, anda slight bulge as viewed from the outsidahas become a rudimentaryannular bead or rib as viewed from the outside and a shallow annulartrough as viewed from the inside. By swinging the tool around the tube anumber of times, and gradually forcing the rollers together, the metalof the tube is caused to be drawn into the shape of a substantialannular bead whose external contour is determined by the shape of thegroove G2 in the roller H and the shape of the trough in which dependsupon the contour of the peripheral portion of the roller 4.

Attached to the arm 3 of the head and projecting at right anglestherefrom, is a handle l3 by which swinging movements are given to the Itool. Also, as will hereinafter be explained, the turning of this handleabout its axis causesthe roller II to move from or toward thecooperating roller. The tool cannot be caused to travel round thecircumference of the tube unless some means are provided to maintain aradial line passing through the axes of both of the rollers. Having onlythe parts that have been described, and assuming that a radial line canbe drawn which will intercept the axis. of the tube and also the axes ofthe two rollers and that the roller i I has been forced down so as toproduce a slight dent in the tube: it will be seen that when pressure isapplied to the handle toswing it either towards. the right or towardsthe left, as viewed in Fig. 2, the rollers will not roll on the wall ofthe tube but will serve simply as a fulcrum about which the tool as awhole will rock. We have therefore provided means to prevent suchrocking movement of the tool. This means comprises an arm [4 which, ineffect, is a continuation of the'arm ID of the jaw that carries theroller H. The arm l4 extends laterally and also downwardly or outwardlywell past the top of the roller 6. At the free end of the arm I4 is along extension i5 that projects inwardly parallel with the axis of theroller H and, therefore, the axis of a tube positioned in the tool. Theinner edge of this extension is so located that it engages, throughoutits length with the outer surface of the tube at a considerable angulardistance from the line of contact between the rollers and the tube. Withthis arrangement, when the tool is closed on the tube and is swung insuch a direction that the arm I4 is leading or in advance, the tool isprevented from rocking about the point of contact between rollers andthe tube, but it must slide bodily along the wall of the tube, therollers in the meantime turning on their axes and pressing or drawingthe wall into the desired bead formation. As best shown in Fig, 4 theextension or brace l5 has a. notch H5 in its inner or working edge, toprovide clearance for the bead a as the latter develops.

Some means should be provided to serve as a stop against which the endface or edge of the tube may be held while the bead is being fashioned.In the arrangement shown, there are two such stops or bearing facesagainst which the end of the pipe may be thrust. One of these stops isthe lower end of the inner arm 9 of the jaw 8 that carries the rollerII; this arm projects far enough beyond the periphery of the roller l Ito lie in the path of a tube that has been slipped on the lower arm ofthe head of the tool and rests on the roller 4. The other stop is alittle lug IT at the free end of the extension I5 on the arm or bracel4; this lug projecting inwardly or toward the head proper. As bestshown in Fig. 1, the working face of the lug I I lies in the same planeas does the stop face of the arm 9 of the carrier for the roller ll.With this arrangement the tool may be accurately positioned on the tubewith the axis of the roller ll parallel to the axis of the tube.

We have found that if the axes of the rollers t and H are parallel thereis a strong tendency to cause a lengthwise feeding movement of the tubein a direction to eject it from the tool. In other words, instead ofproducing an annular bead extending around the tube in a plane at rightangles to the axis of the tube, the tendency is to produce a spiralbead. We have also found that this tendency to screw the tube out of thetool can best be overcome by placing the axis of the roller 4 slightlyout of the parallelism with the axis of the cooperating roller, theangular displacement being in a direction to cause a slight tendency tofeed the tube farther into the tool or, in other words, forcing the endedge or face of the tube positively against the stops.

Thus, viewing the two rollers as they appear in Fig. 1, their axesappear to lie in parallel planes. However, the axis of the roller 4 liesat an angle of a few degrees to a plane extending lengthwise of the tooland containing the axis of the roller II and of a tube in the tool.

The periphery of the roller t is preferably roughened somewhat,conveniently by forming therein fine transverse grooves I8. This enablesthe rollers to grip the metal of the tube and provide better tractionthan is the case when both gripping faces are smooth. Since theroughened roller acts on the inner surface of the tube no evidence ofthe biting action of this roller is visible on. the outer surface of thetube and no marring of that surface can occur.

It will be seen that if the arm or brace l4 fits properly against a tubeof a given size it will not do so with respect to a tube of larger orsmaller diameter. Therefore, if it be desired to employ the tool ontubes of different diameters, means must be provided to adjust it. Asimple way of doing this is to make the arm M detachable and provide aseries of arms of dif ierent sizes which may be interchanged with eachother according to the sizes of tubes that are to be beaded. In thearrangement shown, the outer end of the shaft 20 for the roller ii iscontinued outwardly beyond the arm It! of the carrier and the member 14is provided with a hole with which this projecting shaft end fits. Then,at some distance from this point, a screw 2i extends through the memberI4 and into the arm l0. Consequently, by removing a single screw themember I4 may be detached although, when fastened in place, it issecurely held.

The handle proper, I3, is a tubular member secured to a neck 22, shownas being integral with the arm 3 of the tool head, in such a man.- nerthat the handle and the neck are free to turn relatively to each otherabout the axis of the handle, but are firmly held against relativemovements in other directions. In the arrangerncnt shown, there is aheavy sleeve nut 23 fixed in and projecting beyond the inner end of thehandle proper l3. This sleeve nut rests at its free or outer end on theend of the neck 22 and has thereon an annular out-turned fiange 24. Theneck 22 is externally screw-threaded for some distance inwardly from itsfree or upper end, as indicated at 25. A coupling sleeve 26 fitsrotatably on the projecting portion of the sleeve nut, has an internalshoulder 21 that rests on the flange 2 1, and is provided with anenlarged internally screw-threaded lower apron section 28 that isscrewed upon the screw-threaded part of the neck 22. A set screw 29 maybe employed to secure the coupling member against rotation on the neckof the tool head; whereby the coupling member is held in a fixedposition without clamping the flange 24 so tightly as to interfere withthe freedom of rotation of the handle.

The bar 1 which carries the roller l i has at its upper end a longexternally screw-threaded stem 30 that fits the screw-threaded openingin the sleeve nut 23. Since the bar I is held against rotation in thehead, as will be explained later, but may slide lengthwise, a turningmovement of the handle results in an endwise movement of the bar, in onedirection or the other. This endwise movement of the sliding bar carriesthe roller H toward or away from the cooperating roller 4, as the casemay be. The main portion of the: bar 1 is shown as being square in crosssection, and as the bar is slidably fitted in a correspondingly shapedseat in the tool head, the bar may slide but cannot rotate. The seat 3!is preferably in the form of a longitudinal groove cut into the neckmember 22 through one side thereof. In order to confine the bar i inthis groove, we provide a cover plate 32 for that part of the groovelying beyond the coupling sleeve 26; this cover plate being held to theneck member by a pair of screws 33. I

It will thus be seen that we have produced a simple and rugged tool withwhich protruding annular beads may quickly and accurately be pressed inthe walls of pipes or tubes of sheet metal or other ductile material.

While we have illustrated and described with particularity only a singlepreferred form of our invention, we do not desire to be limited to theexact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend tocover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions ofour invention constituting the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A beading tool comprising a member adapt- I ed to enter a tube, saidmember having thereon a roller of a contour conforming to the internaltrough of the bead to be produced in the tube, said tool also having asecond member adapted to overlie the tube at some distance from thelatter, an element movably mounted on said second member so as to beadjustable from and toward the first member, a roller carried by saidelement and provided with an annular groove 5 registering'with the firstmentioned roller, means o for forcibly pressing said element in adirection of a tube in the tool at a considerable angular distance fromthezone of contact betweenthe rollers and the tube, said element havingthereon a shoulder for engagement with the end edge by the tool.

of the tube.

2; A beading tool comprising a member adapted'to enter a tube, saidmember having thereon a roller of a contour conforming tothe internaltrough of the bead to be produced in the tube. said tool also having asecond member adapted to overlie the tube at some distance from thelatter, an element movably mounted on said second member so as to beadjustable from and toward the first member, a roller carried by saidelement and provided with an annular groove registering with the firstmentioned roller, means for forcibly pressing said element in adirection to bring the rollers together, and a rigid arm on tool adaptedtoengage with the periphery of a tube in the tool at a considerableangular distance from the zone of contact between the rollers and thetube, said element and said arm each having a bearing face to engagewith the end edge of a tube that is being operated upon 3. A beadingtool comprising a member adapted to enter a tube, said member havingthereon a roller of a contour conforming to the internal trough of thebead to be produced in the tube, said tool also having a second memberadapted to overlie the tube at some distance from the latter, an elementmovably mounted on said second member so as to be adjustable from andtoward the first member, a roller carried bysaid element and providedwith an annular groove registering with the first mentioned roller,means for forcibly pressing said element in a direction to bring therollers together, and a rigid arm on said tool adapted to engage withthe periphery of a tube in the tool at a considerable angular distancefrom the zone of contact between the rollers and the tube, the axis ofrotation of the outer roller being parallel to the axis of a tube in thetool while the axis of the inner roller lies at a slight angle to aplane containing the aforesaid axes.

4. A beading tool comprising a body portion comprising member adapted toenter a stationary tube, said member having thereon a roller of acontour conforming to the internal trough of the bead to be produced inthe tube, said body portion also having a second member adapted tooverlie the tube at some distance from the latter, an element movablymounted on said second member so as to be adjustable from and toward thefirst member, a roller carried. by said element and provided with anannular groove registering with the first mentioned roller, a handleprojecting from said body member in alignment with said element androtatable about its long axis, connecting means between said handle andsaid element to cause the element to be forcibly moved in a direction tocarry the second roller toward the first roller when the handle isturned in one direction, and a rigid arm on said tool adapted to engagewith the periphery of a tube in the tool at a considerable angulardistance from the zone of contact between the rollers and the tube andhold the tool and tube in such relative positions that a line extendingradially of the tube through the point at which the latter is grippedbetween the rollers intersects the axes of the two rollers.

5. A beading tool comprising a C-shaped member one arm of which isadaptedto enter and the other-arm of which is adapted to lie outwardlyfrom a tube to. be headed, the first arm having thereon a, roller of acontour conforming to the internal trough of the head to be produced inthe tube, an element movably mounted on the second arm of said member soas to be adjustable from and toward the first arm, a roller carried bysaid i element and provided with an annular groove registering with thefirst mentioned roller, means for forcibly pressing said element in adirection to bring the rollers together, and a third arm on said memberadapted to engage with the periphery of a tube in the tool at aconsiderable angular distance from the zone of contact between therollers and the tube, said element and said third arm each having abearing face to engage with the end edge of a tube that is beingoperated upon by the tool; and the first of said rollers being set swith its axis making a small angle with the axis of the tube so thatwhen the tool is. swung in a plane at right angles to the axis of thetube, with said third arm in advance, the rollers act to force the tubelengthwise against said bearing faces.

6. A beading tool comprising a member adapted to enter a tube, saidmember having thereon a roller of a contour conforming to the internaltrough of the bead to be produced in the tube, said tool'also having asecond member adapted to overlie the tube at some distance from thelatter, an element movably mounted on said second member so as to beadjustable from and toward the first member, a roller carried by saidelement and provided with an annular groove registering with the firstmentioned roller, means for forcibly pressing said element in adirection to bring the rollers together, and a rigid arm on said tooladapted to engage with the periphery of a tube in the tool at aconsiderable angular distance from the zone of contact between therollers and the tube, and a stop for the inner end of a tube in thetool, the inner roller facing being set at a slight angle such that theaction of the rollers is to force the tube against said stop when thetool is swung around the axis of the tube with said rigid arm inadvance.

7. A beading tool comprising a head having thereon complementary beadingrollers one of which is adapted to enter a tube to be beaded and theother of which is positioned outside of the tube, means to force saidrollers together, a handle on said head for swinging the tool bodilyaround the axis of the tube while the tube is held stationary and abrace projecting from the head and adapted to. engage with the exteriorof the tube at a point angularly displaced.

from the zone of contact between the inner roller and the tube andmaintain the point of contact between the rollers and the tube on astraight line that intersects the axes of the rollers and of the tube.

8. A beading tool comprising ahead having thereon complementary beadingrollers one of' which is adapted to enter a tube to be headed and theother of which is positioned outside of the tube, and grip the tube at apoint which is located on a straight line that intersects the axes ofthe rollers and of the tube, means to force said rollers together, ahandle on said head for swinging the tool bodily around the tube whilethe latter is held stationary and means to prevent the tool from rockingabout the point at which the wall of the tube is gripped by the rollerswhen the tool 9. A beading tool comprising a head having thereoncooperating bead-forming rollersadapted to grip the wall of a tubeinserted between them with its axis extending in the general directionof the axes of rotation of the rollers, the parts being arranged to gripthe tube as aforesaid at a point that lies on a straight line radial ofthe tube and intersecting the axes of the rollers, a handle on the headby which the tool may be bodily swung around while the latter is heldstationary, means to prevent rocking ofthe tool relative to the tubewhen the tool is swung about the tube in one direction and means toforce said rollers together to deform the said wall.

10. A beading tool comprising a member adapt to enter a tube, saidmember having thereon a roller of a contour conforming to the in-.ternal trough of the bead to be produced in the .tube, said tool alsohaving a second member adapted to overlie the tube at some distance fromthe latter, an element movably mounted on said second member so as to beadjustable from and toward the first member, a roller carried by saidelement and provided with an annular groove registering with the firstmentioned roller, a handle connected to said members for swinging thetool bodily around the tube while the latter is held stationary, meansfor forcibly pressing said element in a direction to bring the rollerstogether, and means to maintain the tool while being swung around thetube in one direction in the position that maintains the point ofcontact between the tube and the rollers on a line extending radially ofthe tube and intersecting the axes of the rollers.

11. A beading tool comprising a member adapted to enter a tube, saidmember having thereon a roller of a contour conforming to the internaltrough of the bead to be produced in the tube, said tool also having asecond member adapted to overlie the tube at some distance from thelatter and provide it with a handle for swinging the tool about the axisof the tube while thetube remains stationary, an element movably mountedon said second member so as to be adjustable from and toward the firstmember, a roller carried by said element and provided with an annulargroove registering with the first mentioned roller, means for forciblypressing said element in a direction to bring the rollers together, arigid arm on said tool, said arm having a part of considerable lengthadapted to engage with the exterior of a tube in the tool at aconsiderable distance from the zone of contact between the rollers andthe tube and lie parallel with the axis of the tube, the parts being soproportioned that when the wall of the tube is gripped between therollers and said arm contacts with the exterior of the tube, the pointof contact between the tube and the rollers lies in a line intersectingthe axes of the tube and the rollers.

NILS A. TORNBLOM. ERIC BYLUND.

